Grayson is one of nine individuals elected to the U.S. House in 2012 who had prior congressional experience, and one of five House Democrats ousted in 2010 to make a successful comeback bid two years later.[5][6]

He is set to run for re-election to the U.S. House in 2014. If he runs, he will seek the Democratic nomination in the primary election. The general election took place November 4, 2014.

Based on analysis of multiple outside rankings, Grayson is an average Democratic member of Congress, meaning he will vote with the Democratic Party on the majority of bills.

Issues

Controversy

Comparing Tea Party to KKK

In October 2013, Grayson’s re-election campaign sent out a fundraising email and tweet that compared the tea party movement to the KKK, titled, “The Tea Party: No More Popular Than The Klan.”[10] The email included a graphic image of two Klansmen standing near a giant burning cross. The cross is used to spell out “tea party” in burning flames. [11]

Grayson’s campaign twitter account also tweeted a link to the same email on October 21, 2013, saying: "The Tea Party: “No More Popular Than the Klan.”"[10]

Allen West's response

West commented on Grayson's controversial email and tweet and called on President Barack Obama and other Democratic leaders to condemn Grayson's actions.[12]

“The president came out and started talking about civility in our dialogue. Where is President Obama?” West said on October 22, 2013. “I think that the president should be speaking out about this. He should reprimand and censor Alan Grayson for what he said.”

“Why isn’t [House Minority Leader] Nancy Pelosi speaking out about this? Why isn’t [Democratic National Chairwoman] Debbie Wasserman Schultz or [Senate Majority Leader] Harry Reid?... You know, we continue to hear the use of this extremist language, jihadist language, arsonist, extortionist and now this equating constitutional conservatives, people who just believe in a constitutional way of government to operate, with people who were responsible for lynchings, and horrible things in the South and all across this country,” he added.[12]

"Taliban Dan" ad

During Grayson's 2010 campaign, he aired an ad that referred to his Republican opponent, Daniel Webster, as "Taliban Dan." According to Factcheck.org, the ad "used edited video to make his rival appear to be saying the opposite of what he really said."[13]

Death threat and comments about Republicans

In March 2010, Grayson told a radio show host that a woman had called his home and threatened his life over his support for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Grayson then compared the Republican Party to Nazis, saying "Well, I think that's what they said about the burning of the Reichstag, if I recall correctly."[14]

Derogatory comment about Linda Robertson

In October 2009, Grayson called Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernake's advisor Linda Robertson a "whore." Grayson later apologized, saying, "I offer my sincere apology to Linda Robertson, an adviser to Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke. I did not intend to use a term that is often, and correctly, seen as disrespectful of women.”[15]

Legislative actions

113th Congress

The second session of the 113th Congress enacted into law 114 out of the 3,036 introduced bills (3.8 percent). Comparatively, the 112th Congress had 4.2 percent of introduced bills enacted into law in the second session.[16] For more information pertaining to Grayson's voting record in the 113th Congress, please see the below sections.[17]

National security

American response in Syria

"We are not the world's policemen. That is not our responsibility...The secretary certainly overstated the evidence that this was a deliberate decision made by the high command in Syria," said Grayson.[18]

Grayson was referring to Secretary of State John Kerry's comments on August 27, 2013, when he said that evidence "strongly indicates" chemical weapons were used in the attack on a Damascus suburb that reportedly killed and wounded more than 3,000 people. Kerry added, "we know the Syrian regime maintains custody" of such weapons and has the rockets to use them.[18]

"If the United Nations decides to authorize members including the United States to do something about that, then that is a bridge we can cross at that point. But just because the United Nations inspectors would come and say chemical weapons were used, without even identifying whether it was a high command decision on that subject or even who did it, no, that doesn't satisfy me at all," said Grayson.[18]

Grayson said the Obama administration has not explained why a U.S. strike in Syria affects vital American interest. "I think the only people who really want it to happen are the military industrial complex. I just don't understand how this involves us, Americans. The British had estimated the strike will cost Americans billions of dollars ... And at a time when the budgets are so tight, and we're cutting veterans' benefits, and we're cutting education, and we're cutting health care, why are we spending billions of dollars?...I don't know where we got this odd notion that every time we see something bad happen in the world, we should bomb it," said Grayson.[18]

Obama told PBS August 28, 2013, that the situation in Syria does affect the U.S., saying, "You are not only breaking international norms and standards of decency, but you're also creating a situation where U.S. national interests are affected. And that needs to stop."[18]

"I don't see how this tragedy, it's a tragedy, affects U.S. national interests," Grayson said in response, adding that "the highest norm in international law is that you don't attack another country unilaterally without the authorization of the United Nations."[18]

DHS Appropriations

Grayson voted against HR 2217 - the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act of 2014. The bill passed the House on June 6, 2013, with a vote of 245 - 182 and was largely along party lines.[19]

Keystone Pipeline Amendment

Grayson voted in favor of House Amendment 69, which would have amended HR 3 to "require that the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, in consultation with the Department of Homeland Security, conduct a study of the vulnerabilities of the Keystone XL pipeline to a terrorist attack and certify that necessary protections have been put in place." The amendment failed on May 22, 2013, with a vote of 176 - 239 and was largely along party lines.[19]

CISPA (2013)

Grayson voted in opposition to HR 624 - the CISPA (2013). The bill passed the House on April 18, 2013, with a vote of 288 - 127. The bill would allow federal intelligence agencies to share cybersecurity intelligence and information with private entities and utilities.[20] The bill was largely supported by Republicans, but divided the Democratic Party.[19]

NDAA

Grayson voted in support of HR 1960 - the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014. The bill passed the House on June 14, 2013, with a vote of 315 - 108. Both parties were somewhat divided on the vote.[19]

Economy

Government shutdown

On September 30, 2013, the House passed a final stopgap spending bill before the shutdown went into effect. The bill included a one-year delay of the Affordable Care Act's individual mandate and would have also stripped the bill of federal subsidies for congressional members and staff. It passed through the House with a vote of 228-201.[21] At 1 a.m. on October 1, 2013, one hour after the shutdown officially began, the House voted to move forward with going to a conference. In short order, Sen. Harry Reid rejected the call to conference.[22] Grayson voted against the stopgap spending bill that would have delayed the individual mandate.[23]

The shutdown finally ended on October 16, 2013, when the House took a vote on HR 2775 after it was approved by the Senate. The bill to reopen the government lifted the $16.7 trillion debt limit and funds the government through January 15, 2014. Federal employees also received retroactive pay for the shutdown period. The only concession made by Senate Democrats was to require income verification for Obamacare subsidies.[24] The House passed the legislation shortly after the Senate, by a vote of 285-144, with all 144 votes against the legislation coming from Republican members. Grayson voted for HR 2775.[25]

Federal Pay Adjustment Act

Grayson voted against HR 273 - Eliminates the 2013 Statutory Pay Adjustment for Federal Employees. The bill passed the House on February 15, 2013, with a vote of 261 - 154. The bill would prevent a 0.5% pay increase for all federal workers from taking effect, saving the federal government $11 billion over 10 years.[19]

Immigration

Morton Memos Prohibition

Grayson voted against House Amendment 136 - Prohibits the Enforcement of the Immigration Executive Order. The amendment was adopted by the House on June 6, 2013, with a vote of 224 - 201. The purpose of the amendment as stated on the official text is to "prohibit the use of funds to finalize, implement, administer, or enforce the Morton Memos." These memos would have granted administrative amnesty to certain illegal aliens residing in the United States. The vote largely followed party lines.[19]

Healthcare

Health Care Reform Rules

Grayson voted against House Amendment 450 - Requires Congressional Approval for Any Rules Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The amendment was adopted by the House on August 2, 2013, with a vote of 227-185. The amendment requires all changes to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act be approved by Congress before taking effect. The vote was largely along party lines.[19]

Keep the IRS Off Your Health Care Act

Grayson voted against HR 2009 - Keep the IRS Off Your Health Care Act of 2013. The bill passed through the House on August 2, 2013, with a vote of 232-185. The bill would prevent the IRS and Treasury Secretary from enforcing the powers provided to them in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The vote largely followed party lines.[19]

Social issues

Amash amendment

Grayson voted in favor of House Amendment 413 - Prohibits the National Security Agency from Collecting Records Under the Patriot Act. The amendment failed on July 4, 2013, by a vote of 205-217. The amendment would have prohibited the collection of records by the National Security Agency under the Patriot Act. Both parties were split on the vote.[19]

Minimum wage

Grayson introduced H.R. 1346, the “Catching Up to 1968 Act of 2013,” to raise the minimum wage to $10.50 an hour and index it to inflation.[26]

2013 introduced bills

According to a January 2014 Politico report, Grayson introduced 45 bills, the most of any representative in 2013. [27]

Previous congressional sessions

Voting Record

Grayson voted for the stimulus bill.[28] 57% of U.S. voters believe that the stimulus has either hurt the economy (36%) or had no impact (21%). 38% believe the stimulus helped the economy. [29]

Grayson also voted in favor of the "Cash for Clunkers" bill.[30] According to a June 2009 Rasmussen Reports poll, 54% of likely U.S. voters opposed Cash for Clunkers, while 35% supported it.[31]

Grayson supported the "Cap and Trade" bill.[32] Just after the bill’s passage, 42% of likely U.S. voters said that cap and trade would hurt the economy, while 19% believed it would help. 15% said that the bill would have no impact.[33]

Health care reform

Grayson voted in favor of the health care reform bill.[34] 57% of likely voters at least somewhat favor repeal of the health care reform bill, including 46% who strongly favor repeal. 35% of likely voters oppose repeal. 51% of likely voters believe the health care reform bill will be bad for the country, while 36% believe it will be beneficial.[35]

Voting with Democratic leadership

According to a July 2010 analysis of 1,357 votes cast from January 1, 2009 to June 16, 2010, Grayson voted with the House Democratic leadership 97.6% of the time.[36] That same analysis reported that he had voted with party leadership 98.6% of the time in 2010.

Washington Post Analysis

A separate analysis from The Washington Post, concluded that he voted 98.3% of the time with a majority of Democrats in the House of Representatives.[37]

2010

On November 2, 2010, Daniel Webster won election to the United States House. He defeated Alan Grayson (D), Pag Dunmire (I), Georgia L. Metcalfe (I) and Steven J. Gerritzen (I) in the general election.[40]

U.S. House, Florida District 8 General Election, 2010

Party

Candidate

Vote %

Votes

Republican

Daniel Webster

56.1%

123,586

Democratic

Alan Grayson incumbent

38.2%

84,167

Tea Party

Peg Dunmire

3.8%

8,337

Independent

George L. Metcalfe

1.9%

4,143

Independent

Steven J. Gerritzen

0%

11

Total Votes

220,244

Full history

To view the full congressional electoral history for Alan Grayson, click [show] to expand the section.

2008

On November 4, 2008, Alan Grayson won election to the United States House. He defeated Ric Keller (R) in the general election.[41]

U.S. House, Florida District 8 General Election, 2008

Party

Candidate

Vote %

Votes

Democratic

Alan Grayson

52%

172,854

Republican

Ric Keller incumbent

48%

159,490

Total Votes

332,344

Campaign donors

Comprehensive donor information for Grayson is available dating back to 2008. Based on available campaign finance records, Grayson raised a total of $13,902,928 during that time period. This information was last updated on April 5, 2013.[42]

2012

Breakdown of the source of Grayson's campaign funds before the 2012 election.

Grayson won election to the U.S. House in 2012. During that election cycle, Grayson's campaign committee raised a total of $4,676,186 and spent $4,634,161.[52] This is more than the average $1.5 million spent by House winners in 2012.[53]

Lifetime voting record

According to the website GovTrack, Grayson missed 43 of 1,744 roll call votes from January 2009 to March 2013. This amounts to 2.5%, which is worse than the median of 2.2% among current congressional representatives as of March 2013.[56]

Net worth

Based on congressional financial disclosure forms and calculations made available by OpenSecrets.org, Grayson's net worth as of 2012 was estimated between $-2,212,951 to $82,936,999. That averages to $40,362,024, which is higher than the average net worth of Democratic representatives in 2012 of $5,700,168.36. Grayson ranked as the 16th most wealthy representative in 2012.[57]

National Journal vote ratings

Each year National Journal publishes an analysis of how liberally or conservatively each member of Congress voted in the previous year.

2012

Information on 2012 vote rating is unavailable.

Voting with party

2013

Alan Grayson voted with the Democratic Party 95.6% of the time, which ranked 55th among the 201 House Democratic members as of June 2013.[58]

Personal

Grayson and his wife, Lolita, live in Orlando, Florida, with their five children.[59]

Wife files for diviorce

Lolita Grayson filed for divorce in Orange County Family Court on January 6, 2014.[60]

$18 million loss in portfolio scheme

Grayson lost approximatley $18 million when he was the victim of a portfolio scheme in December 2013. According to court documents, Grayson was set to receive tens of millions of dollars in returns on his stock portfolio. However, a Virginia man, William Dean Chapman, sold the stocks out from under Grayson, and others, as part of a scheme. He was sentenced to 12 years in prison on December 6, 2013, for cheating 122 investors out of more than $35 million.[61]

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